Powerpoint 2000

This makes the addition of the Projector Wizard all the more welcome. If you've ever arrived to make a presentation and spent a frantic half-hour or so trying to configure an unfamiliar projector, this InFocus-designed tool may have been just the thing you were looking for. Newer projectors can even be auto-detected and set up for you.

I heard PowerPoint 2000 criticised recently because it really requires you to have a 19in monitor running at better than 1,024 « 768 to get the best out of it. This was said to be ironic when you consider that most corporate boardrooms still have LCD projectors that struggle with anything over 800 « 600 (or worse).

It's true, up to a point. You do need a high resolution and a big monitor to use the three-pane view effectively. But, as ever, the slide shows themselves are remarkably indifferent about the display they're shown on.

All in all, this is a very competent upgrade - albeit one with some room for further improvement - that concentrates on making the chores of producing a presentation simple, rather than on the flash gimmicks and pointless features and animations that have characterised recent releases. If you already make frequent use of PowerPoint, this is a compelling argument for a move to Office 2000.

Author: Guy Swarbrick